This invention relates generally to the automated machine tool art, and more specifically to the interconnection of various individual automation components for effecting linear motion such as base slides, lift tables, thruster slides, rotary motion devices and grippers or end effactor devices into various configurations for the purpose of performing test or assembly applications of a repetitive nature.
Heretofore, industrial engineers and machine designers choose from the variety of basic individual available automation components and connected them together using adaptor plates to form the require configuration or combination for performing a particular machined function, which are generally of a repetitive nature in accordance with a predetermined program. Each such application or orientation heretofore was customized to suit the particular requirements of the work or machine operation to be performed by the use of adaptor plates. Currently, individual components such as slides, rotary actuators, and grippers are designed with mounting patterns that are specific to their basic shape, size or design; and no consideration is taken into account that they can or must be attached to other automation components to be useful. As a result, such components were utilized individually and comprised only a limited part of the overall use to which such components could otherwise be utilized. In the present state of the art, a machine designer or engineer had to either design or choose from a manufacturer""s catalog of adaptor plates, a specific adaptor plate to connect together the desired components to effect the desired machine function or operation. Such adaptor plates have the capability of only interconnecting two components, and usually in only one orientation. Most manufacturers only offer such adaptor plates for effecting the interconnection of their more popular combinations. However, the number of possible combinations for such machine components is considerably larger than that contemplated by the individual manufacture. To effect those combinations which are not standard, the machine designer or engineer had to resort to designing and building a given adaptor plate not offered by the manufacturer. Thus, many manufacturers in the automatic tool machine art devote entire sections of their catalogs and/or have separate catalogs just for listing the available adaptor plate designs limited to the many standard combinations only.
It has been known that a xe2x80x9ctxe2x80x9d nut and slot connection have been used to effect a connection between certain linear motion devices. There is also the NUMATE type of connection which connects a certain style component to another of the same style in a limited range of sizes. Otherwise, there are no other known means to directly interconnect various types of machine components, or various styles within a given product type, or various sizes between type and styles of machine components to form the various possible combinations to achieve the desired orientations without the need of the many varied and different adaptor plates to achieve the desired orientation.
The present invention provides a universal system for coupling two or more machine components together in a desired orientation. The system includes at least two machine components each including a base and a movable member coupled to the base, the movable member being configured to operate in response to commands from a controller. The base and the movable member on each component defining a mounting surface such that the each of the mounting surfaces on one of the components is configured to mate with each of the mounting surfaces on another of the components in a plurality of desired orientations.
Thus, the invention provides a universal system for coupling two or more machine components together in various orientations for providing motion for automation applications. The system of the invention eliminates the need for adapter plates for coupling two or more machine components together.
This invention is directed to machine components such as base slides, lift tables, thruster slides, rotary actuators and grippers or the like that utilize a simple set of matching and mating pattern of holes that include through bolt holes, tapped holes and dowel pin holes, the latter providing for locational accuracy, and not necessarily required for effecting the direct interconnection of adjacent components. The hole patterns can be of any size based on the size of the machine component, and the component may carry several hole patterns of different sizes to accommodate the direct interconnection of units of different sizes. The respective components each have a base pattern and an output pattern of holes. The base pattern allows the component to be attached to a machine base or to another component output pattern. The base pattern of any given component is the mounting pattern closest to the machine base in the assembly or combination of attached components.
Essentially, the hole pattern is divided into two sexes, viz. male holes which form clearance through holes for receiving the interconnecting bolts or screws and female holes which are threaded or tapped holes. The holes of a given pattern are arranged in two basic hole configurations within the given pattern, viz. a square configuration and a rectangular configuration. A machine component may have more than one hole pattern for use in interconnecting components of varying sizes. Both configurations, i.e. the square and rectangular configurations making up the hole pattern are centered on the mounting surface of the components which allows for the square configuration to have four possible mounted orientations and two orientations for the rectangular configuration. The arrangement is such that two components can be directly interconnected by using the opposed complementary sex mounting configurations, e.g. male to female. There is also a logic as to what can be normally connected to what, as far as the component types are concerned. For reasons of accuracy, dowel pin holes may be included with the hole pattern.